AITS NEWSLETTER - JANUARY 1999

For those of you that have been following the American Indian Trades Skills Program (AITS) the first
class which was taught at the Torres-Martinez Indian Reservation has concluded. 8 students graduated,
received certification and are now working. A second class is scheduled to begin mid-February.

Below is the article that was published in the Desert Sun newspaper on January 27th, 1999.

Achievment: Graduate Gabriel Ward (right) is congratulated by Jeffrey Jackson for completing the
introduction to building trades class at the Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indian Reservation. Jackson
introduced the program to the tribe.

Graduates employ new skills

Tribe offers trade course tostart studentson career paths

By Kristin StoreyThe Desert Sun

THERMAL - Gabriel Ward haslong depended on
odd jobs tosupport his family, but today he is scheduled to start a full-time job with a
future. "We all have a good chance toget jobs," said Ward, who wasamong eight members of
the Torres-Martinez Band of Desert Cahuilla Indians to graduate Tuesday from the tribe's
first introduction to building trades course. About 30 family members and friends attended
a special graduation ceremony and luncheon. Also in attendance were potential employers.
Ward, who is a member of the tribal council, will begin working in La Quinta as an
apprentice with the Southern California-Nevada Regional Council of Carpenters - which sponsored
the program by paying $40,000 for an instructor for two 10-week classes. Glen Parker,
a union repre-

resentative, said there is ashortage of skilled labor and that training programs like
this benefit the tribe and the industry. "The contractors are excited because these guys
walk in knowing how to use tape measures and change fractions into decimals," Parker
said. "They jump in way ahead of the game so (the journey-men) don't have to keep showing them
how to do things." The basic math skills, tool skills and some safety preparation is all part
of the 300-hour class taught at the reservation. The class is an introduction to all the
building tradesand at the end, students choose one for a profession. "It makes them feel
like Magic Johnson with everyone bidding on them," said Alan Hamann, who taught the class.
"They've all been offered three or four jobs." Among the employers vying for the graduates
was the California Department of Transportation who will need people to work on widening Highway
86 near the reservation. The tribe originally opposed the expansion, but now leaders are looking
foward to the work it will bring, according to Tribal ChairwomanMary Belardo. Belardo is
thrilled at the initial

Potential work: Before graduation ceremonies, ChrisMoreno (left,) discusses a possible
job as a surveyor with Daryl Lewis. All of the students who graduated Tuesday had job offers.

success of the program."This is the best example for thereservation since I've been here,"
Belardo said. "We've had other work-trainingprograms, but the funding ranout or it couldn't
be finished," she said. "These boys stayed with it and now have jobs." Adrienne LaVergne,
whose husband, Joseph LaVergne, graduated from the class, is thrilled with the hope it has
already given her family. "He's really grown. He's learned a lot," said Adrienne LaVergne,
who cried as her husband accepted the certificate of accomplishment at the graduation
ceremony. "We're all so exited."